


Five Times Rich Listened to Michael Talk about Jeremy and the One Time He did Something About It

by somethingcleverimsure



Series: Rich and Michael are BFFs [2]
Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Friendship, M/M, Michael and Rich are BFFs, Swearing, Texting, mention of drugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 10:48:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11080020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somethingcleverimsure/pseuds/somethingcleverimsure
Summary: After the SQUIP Micheal and Rich became really good friends. Who knew they had so much in common? Snapshots of moments in their friendship. Companion piece to Five Times Jeremy was Confused about Michael and Rich, and the One Time he Wasn't.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing. I really wanted to write some more friendship moments between Michael and Rich, and also just wanted some more practice writing. Again, constructive criticism welcome. Thank you for reading, hope you like it!

“There!” Rich said, pulling the sharpie away from his book bag, he turned it towards Michael to reveal the neatly lettered “BESTF” that he had written, “It’s great right?”   
“Yeah, It’s great,” Michael chuckled in agreement.  
Rich had been doing his best over the past few months to make up for all of the time that he and Michael could have been friends before, the two had started a tentative friendship when Michael hung around the hospital while Jeremy was still out from the SQUIP incident. Of course, Jeremy wasn’t very good company while he was passed out, and so the two boys had turned to each other while they waited for their friend to wake up. The two had more in common than they had originally thought. Rich had revealed his love of old Japanese video games and 90’s music. Despite these similarities, Rich had expected Michael to stop coming by once Jeremy was released; however, Michael continued to visit regularly.   
The two soon realized that they had one more thing in common: they were both hopelessly head over heels for their best friends. That kind of shit bonds people. After Rich was released from the hospital, Michael and Rich found themselves hanging out after school more often, complaining about their respective crushes, talking about their shared classes, playing video games, and smoking weed in Michael’s basement. Eventually Rich had come to the conclusion that he needed to declare his newfound friendship with Michael, which lead them to the present where Rich was turning his backpack into a billboard declaring that they were best friends.  
“I think I can deface everyone’s backpack to match your’s,” Rich said, still admiring his handiwork.   
“Really?” Michael asked, “What other options do you have. You already used ‘BESTF’ and ‘BOYF,’ what’s left?”  
“I’m gonna write ‘KINDA GOODF’ on Jake’s backpack,” Rich said, sounding determined.  
“I’m sure he’ll love that,” Michael said, “But then you guys wouldn’t be able to match your backpacks.”  
“Shit you’re right,” Rich said, “It’s still a good idea, I’ll just use it on someone else. Besides, I don’t think I can match with Jake anyway, unless I write ‘RIENDS’ on his backpack, but then it would be the same as yours. Then Jeremy could also be boyfriends with him.”   
“Yeah, not a good plan,” Michael agreed, “You could always write ‘REAKING BOYFRIENDS,’ that would be different.”  
“That’s way too long,” Rich said after seeming to consider it for just a moment, “Ugh. It doesn’t even matter, it’s just wishful thinking right now.”   
“There’s still hope,” Michael said, “He bought you a fucking teddy bear while you were in the hospital. It had a heart. That’s fucking cute man, and not something straight dudes do for their friends. I’d kill to have even a shred of the hope you have.”   
“Please,” Rich scoffed, “You and Jeremy are literally inseparable, he’s practically attached to your hip now. I’d kill for that.”   
“Jeremy’s always been like that though,” Michael sighed, “He doesn’t even realize it. You know one time he told me I was his favorite person, no context or anything.”  
“Yikes,” Rich said, Michael nodded in agreement.   
“That’s not even the worst of it,” Michael said, flopping dramatically down on the floor by Rich “You know, I tried so hard to be mad at him when he got the SQUIP, but every time he would actually acknowledge my presence, he just got so excited, it made it really hard to be pissed at him. And now, he’s super touchy all the time, like he’s trying to prove he’s not going anywhere. Ugh. He’s going to be the death of me.”  
“It sounds rough,” Rich said, patting the top of Michael’s head.  
“I’m too gay for this shit,” Michael said.  
“Poor you,” Rich said, “Wanna get high and forget about it?”  
“Dude, you read my mind,” Michael said, quickly sitting up and smiling wide, and laughing a little, “Just pass the blunt this time.”


	2. Chapter Two

To Michael: MIIICCCHHHAAAEEELL I”M BOOOOORRRRREEEDDDDD

From Michael: entertain urself im at the mall with jer 

To Michael: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOO enjoy ur date ;) ;) ;)

From Michael: stfu its not a date

To Michael: sure its not ;) ;) ;) ;)

From Michael: OMG THIS BOI 

From Michael: he does not get how gay i am 4 him 

From Michael: also ur gonna have to fight jer for the title of my best friend

To Michael: weak

To Michael: also i wud kick his ass

From Michael: that’s what I said

From Michael: but he also says that I wouldn’t let u kick his ass

To Michael: i feel betrayed

From Michael: HE CALLED ME HIS PLAYER TWO

From Michael: WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO

To Michael: weak

To Michael: tell him that the position of best friend is filled, but the position of boyfriend is open

To Michael: WIDE OPEN

To Michael: lol

From Michael: ur the worst

From Michael: why do i ask u for advice 

To Michael: bcuz im ur best friend

From Michael: he brought me a cherry slushie :)

To Michael: gross. get a room

To Michael: use protection

To Michael: dont get pregnart 

From Michael: stfu jer wants to know why im laughing

To Michael: show him our conversation

To Michael: seduce him with our humor


	3. Chapter Three

“I got you this,” Rich says holding up a pac-man muscle tank, “Tank top bros!”  
“This is great,” Michael said, taking the tank and examining it, “but Rich, it’s the middle of winter.”  
“Which is what makes it better,” Rich said, “It’s for the aesthetic. It’s ‘high fashion.’ You can look cool like me all the time now. Plus now you can show off your tattoo, right?”  
“You are ridiculous,” Michael said, laughing lightly.   
“Fine, you don’t have to wear it then,” Rich said, jokingly trying to snatch the garment back .  
“No, fuck off,” Michael said holding it out of Rich’s grasp, “I’m gonna wear it forever.”   
“Michael Mell, you big sap,” Rich said.   
“Please, I’m just gonna wear it to show off my killer arms,” Michael deadpanned, “Make all the boys swoon.”  
“Make one boy swoon,” Rich said, waggling his eyebrows at Michael.   
“Rich,” Michael gasped dramatically, “I’m flattered, really, but I’m afraid my heart belongs to another.”  
“Oh shut up,” Rich said, shoving his friend playfully, “You know what I was talking about. Do you think Jeremy will literally choke when he sees you with your guns out?”  
“I think Jeremy won’t notice I’m wearing a tank top until like a week after,” Michael joked, “One time I wore heelys and rolled everywhere I went, three days later he asked me ‘were you wearing heelys the other day?’ I love him, but he is not the most observant person out there.”   
“I mean we already knew Jeremy was unobservant as shit,” Rich said, giving Michael a pointed look.   
“Ugh,” Michael groaned, “Why must I suffer?”  
“Hey,” Rich said, patting his friend sympathetically on the back, “If it makes you feel better, Jake is just as oblivious. The other day he was showing this trick he learned to do with a basketball, and I said ‘suck my dick bro,’ and then he was like ‘what did you say bro,’ and then I said, ‘I said sweet trick bro.’ And he just accepted it. What the fuck?”  
“You’re right,” Michael said, “That does make me feel better. At least I’m not that obvious.”  
“Hey!” Rich cried, shoving his friend again, “I come to you for sympathy in my time of need and this is how you treat me?”  
I’m just saying, I’ve never told my crush to ‘suck my dick bro,’” Michael said, using air quotes to emphasize his point.  
“My only friend, betraying me with such cruelty,” Rich gasped, clutching his chest dramatically and flopping on the floor, then sitting up and changing tone completely, “Honestly I’d be more annoyed if Jake’s obliviousness wasn’t so adorable.”   
“Gross,” Michael said, looking at Rich with clear exasperation, “You’re so far gone.”  
“Coming from the guy that called me last week at three in the morning to cry about Jeremy’s hair,” Rich countered.   
“In my defense he changed it up the other day, and it was doing that thing tha-” Michael said, beginning to ramble on.   
“And again a few days ago to cry about his smile, and how adorable it is,” Rich said, level Michael with a pointed look.  
“I was not crying,” Michael protested. Rich just continued to look at him. “Let’s just play this dumb video game you brought over.”  
“It is not dumb!” Rich protested, “It is art.”  
“Whatever you say dude,” Michael said, picking up a controller.


	4. Chapter Four

“What happened?” Michael asked, pulling an exhausted looking Rich into a strong hug. “Are you okay?”  
“I’m fine,” Rich said. Michael leveled him with a mom look that could rival Christine’s, “Alright, I’m not fine, but I will be.”   
“Do you want to talk about it,” Michael asked, leading Rich up to his room, and making sure that he sat down on the bed.  
“It’s just been a bad day, and normally I’d talk to Jake when I had a bad day,” Rich explains, “Except even months after the fucking SQUIP, it’s still really hard to talk to him. I feel like one day he’s just gonna get tired of my shit and just give up on me. For fuck’s sake, I burned down his house. And it wasn’t like we were friends before the SQUIP, I mean he was nicer to me than all of the other popular kids, but he’s always like that. I feel like one day he’s just gonna realize that I’m not worth it.”   
“Hey,” Michael said softly, placing a hand on Rich’s back and rubbing small circles on his back, “You are worth it. Jake loves you, you’re his best friend. Besides, Jake’s not the type of person to just give up on someone.”  
“I know,” Rich said, “Like I know all of this in theory, but it’s still just always there, always rattling around in the back of my mind. Everything I do, I just hear my fucking SQUIP tell me that I’m gonna fuck everything up. I mean, I know the thing was bad news, but because of it I’m friends with Jeremy, with Jake, with you. And I just feel like without it, I’m just gonna go back to the loser I was before.”  
“That’s not gonna happen,” Michael assured, pulling Rich into a one armed hug, “but even if it, it’s a good thing that I’m used to hanging out with losers. I mean Jer and I were losers for years. And I can’t speak for Jake, but I’m sure he’d choose you no matter what. I mean, he can be seen with me now, and I was practically a social pariah at the beginning of the year.”  
“You weren’t a loser,” Rich grumbled, burying his head in Michael’s shoulder, “You were super cool, I was just controlled by a computerized asshole.”  
“Thanks buddy,” Michael said letting out a slight chuckle, “I know how ridiculous thoughts like these can be. They’re just a slippery slope. I know it can’t really help, because anxiety takes on a mind of it’s own and can convince you of things that you know to be true,but do you trust your friends?”  
“Yeah, of course,” Rich said.   
“Then trust that they care about you,” Michael said.   
“But what if I’ve tricked them into caring about me?” Rich asked.  
“Then you have to trust that they’re smart enough to make an informed decision on their own,” Michael explained.  
“Okay,” Rich said, letting out a shaky breath, “I think I can try to do that.”   
“Okay,” Michael said softly.   
“Can you distract me for a bit?” Rich asked. Michael nodded, giving Rich’s shoulders a small squeeze.  
“Yeah,” Michael replied, “What do you want me to do?”  
“Just talk,” Rich said, shrugging noncommittally.   
“About what?” Michael asked.  
“I don’t know,” Rich said, “What were you doing before you got here?”  
“Okay,” Michael said, “Well I was just chilling with Jeremy-”  
“Oh shit!” Rich said, “I didn’t mean to interrupt you guys hanging out. I’m so sorry Michael, I shoul-”  
“Rich, making sure you are okay is more important than playing video games with Jeremy,” Michael said, voice even and calming, “I can play video games with Jeremy anytime.”  
“Yeah but I made you flake on him, and-” Rich stammered, looking down at his hands.  
“And Jeremy has flaked on me plenty of times,” Michael argued, “One time I walked all the way to his house after he told me to come over, only to have him tell me that he was tired. It’s fine, really. Jeremy agreed, he wanted me to make sure you were okay too.”   
“Okay, okay,” Rich said, “So what were you doing with Jeremy.”  
“Aw come on,” Michael whined, “it’s not like that.”  
“Sure,” Rich drawled, a small smile returning to his face.   
“Okay, but Rich he was practically laying on me,” Michael complained, over dramatizing his reaction to distract his friend. It must have worked a little because Rich perked up a little.  
“Dude,” Rich said, “That is so gay.”   
“Yeah, Michael scoffed, “Not gay enough.”  
“Ouch,” Rich grimaced.   
“Okay but there was this one point where he started leaning closer, and he was going to tell me something,” Michael said, “But then he like changed his mind or something. But I swear to God, Rich, I thought he was gonna kiss me for a minute.”  
“Shit, dude,” Rich breathed, eyes wide now. He sat up straighter.  
“Yeah dude, like he thought he heard someone at the door, and then the moment was lost,” Michael lied, mostly to prevent Rich from feeling bad about interrupting him and Jeremy, “but I told him I wanted to revisit the conversation.”  
“Shit dude,” Rich repeated, “Do you think that maybe-”  
“I don’t know?” Michael said.  
“Shit dude!” Rich said again, the two sat in silence for a while, before taking up a comfortable conversation about nothing much. Michael stays until long after Rich is back to his loud, smiley self. On his way out, Rich stops him before he leaves.  
“Hey Michael,” Rich said, Michael looks back at him, “Thanks.”  
“Of course,” Michael said sincerely, “Look, you can always talk to me about these things, and I will always do my best to understand you. But I think that talking to Jeremy might do you some good, I think he could really understand where you’re coming from. Of course you don’t have to, but I just want you to know that it’s an option.”  
“Yeah, I know,” Rich said, “I’ve been meaning to talk to him, and Jake too. It’s just hard sometimes.”  
“It always is,” Michael agreed, “And of course you can always call me and I’ll come running.”   
Thanks buddy,” Rich said, pulling Michael into a tight hug.   
“Of course dude,” Michael said, hugging back just as hard.


	5. Chapter Five

“The pizza better get here soon,” Rich groaned, “I’m starving.”  
“We literally ordered it five minutes ago,” Michael said.  
“Ugh,” Rich groaned again, dramatically throwing himself across Michael’s lap, “I can’t believe my own best friend is so willing to let me die.”  
“You know if you keep calling me your best friend, Jake’s gonna get jealous,” Michael said, raising his eyebrows at Rich.”   
“Nah,” Rich said, “He’s not the type. Besides, you can have more than one best friend.”   
“Doesn’t that defeat the point of them being your best friend then?” Michael asked.   
“No,” Rich said, “because I’ve decided you can have more than one best friend, so it’s law now. Wait. If you believe that you can only have one best friend, does that mean I've been playing second fiddle to Heere this entire time?”  
“Eh,” Michael squeaked out noncommittally, “But it doesn’t matter now, right? Because you’ve told me I can have more than one best friend, which means that you’re my best friend now.”  
“I’ll let it pass,” Rich teased, “But only because Jeremy is actually your boyfriend.”  
“He is not,” Michael mumbled.   
“But the other day you said he was making heart eyes at you,” Rich pointed out.   
“I said no such thing,” Michael gasped dramatically.   
“He loves you,” Rich crooned, “He wants to have your babies, and marry you.”  
“Shut up,” Michael said, shoving Rich off of his lap. However their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door.  
“Pizza must be early,” Rich noted as Michael got up to answer the door.  
“Yeah, lucky us,” Michael said, “or you would have starved to death.”  
Rich rolled over onto his stomach and took out his phone, distracting himself while he waited for Michael to return. He had just pulled up Facebook when he was truck with a thought. He was going to prank Michael, and it was going to be hilarious. Michael was always hilarious when he got flustered.   
“Michael,” He called, doing his best to make it sound like a moan, “Come back to bed.” He snickered to himself for a minute, it wasn’t long before he heard Michael ascend the stairs; however, when he entered the room, he was empty handed. “Where’s the pizza?”  
“Wasn’t the pizza guy,” Michael explained, brow slightly furrowed.   
“Well who was it?” Rich prompted.  
“It was Jeremy,” Michael said, still looking dumbfounded.   
“You should have invited him up to chill with us,” Rich said.  
“I did,” Michael said, “Or I tried to anyway, he just sort of left.”  
“Wait,” Rich asked, “What happened?”  
“Well we were joking around like we normally do, then I was going to invite him in,” Michael recounted, “and then suddenly, he was acting strange and said he had to go.”   
“That’s really weird,” Rich said.  
“Yeah,” Michael agreed, brow still furrowed, “Do you think he’s okay?”  
“I guess so,” Rich said, “You said he was acting normal at first. I don’t know, maybe he just remembered something he had to do?”  
“Yeah, that’s probably it,” Michael agreed, not looking any less concerned. Rich looked at his friend, wishing there was something he could do to ease his worry. He hoped it would work itself out tomorrow at school.


	6. Chapter Six

Despite Rich’s hopes, it did not work itself out at school, which was why he was staring at a distraught looking Michael who was staring at the empty seat where Jeremy would usually sit for lunch. Everyone was frantically sending Jeremy text messages, even Rich sent a few. He was half tempted to take Michael’s phone, because he looked even more crestfallen after every unanswered text.  
“Hey,” He said, catching the sleeve of Michael’s hoodie as they left the cafeteria, “Are you okay.”  
“It’s whatever,” Michael said, shrugging out of Rich’s grip, and moving along to his next class. It wasn’t whatever, and Michael clearly wasn’t okay. Luckily, they shared the next class, so Rich was able to keep an eye on him. Once he slid into his desk, he took out his phone to send another message to Jeremy, when he saw a text from Jake.

From Jake: Hey everyone, Jeremy’s okay. He’ll explain later, he just needs some space rn

Rich looked over at Michael, who was reading the text now, and his face fell even further. Rich swore right then and there that he would kill the next person that made Michael look like that. He was just about to call out to Michael when he got another text from Jake, this one a private message. 

From Jake: how’s Michael

To Jake: not good, he looks like someone ran over his puppy, but worse

To Jake: I’m gonna punch Jeremy

From Jake: Don’t punch Jeremy. He’s having a rough time too. I can tell

From Jake: Also if you fight Jeremy, then Christine will fight you and I don’t think could win that fight

To Jake: True, but i’d get some pretty cool battle scars and chicks dig scars

From Jake: so do dudes ;)

To Jake: STAHP 

From Jake: but for real though, go easy on Jeremy, he’s looking pretty rough

From Jake: try to focus on Michael and cheer him up in whatever way you can

To Jake: Okay will do

To Jake: God I wish they’d get their shit together

From Jake: me too bro, me too

Rich tried to think of that he could do to get Michael out of his state, but he was coming up empty. Michael didn’t seem to be willing to talk to anyone, he had closed himself off from everything. Rich didn’t even think he was paying attention. The only person Rich Could think of who could get through to Michael right now, was Jeremy. As soon as the final bell rang, Rich raced to Jeremy’s locker, but when he got there there was no sign of Jeremy, and so he waited. He leaned against a neighboring locker until he finally saw Jeremy approaching. He told himself to be calm, that Jeremy was obviously having a tough time about something, that he was here to help both of his friends.  
“Hey,” Jeremy said hesitantly, as he walked up to where Rich was waiting.  
“Hey,” Rich said, “Look, Jake told everyone about you needing some space, and we respect that, but you need to talk to Michael.”  
“Wait,” Jeremy said, eyes going wide and face going pale, “What’s wrong with Michael.”  
“He’s completely convinced that this is all his fault,” Rich explained, “He thinks that this is the SQUIP situation all over again.”  
“That’s not true,” Jeremy insisted.  
“That’s what I told him,” Rich said, shoving his hands in his pockets, “I understand if you need some space, but I think you should tell him in person about it. Show him that you’re not avoiding him.”  
“Okay,” Jeremy said,pausing for one second, before turning and quickly leaving.  
“Oh, and Jeremy,” Rich called after him, “If you hurt my friend like this again, I will kick you in the shin… repeatedly.”  
Rich watched as Jeremy sprinted away, hopefully to find Michael. He pulled out his phone, and sent a quick text to Jake. 

To Jake: I talked to Jeremy..

From Jake: you didn’t fight him did you?? :)

To Jake: no, I told him to fix things with Michael

To Jake: I know he said he needed space, but you told me to focus on what would help Michael

To Jake: that was the only thing I could think of

From Jake: I think you made a good call

To Jake: thanks

From Jake: look at you, growing up, fixing things between your friends

From Jake: youre practically the group mom now

From Jake: its kinda sweet actually

To Jake: Christine will riot if she hears that anyone else but her is group mom

From Jake: still..

To Jake: shut up :)

Rich sat in his room, trying to work on some homework, but his mind was half waiting for Michael or Jeremy to text him something, just to let him know that everything was okay. It was nearly three hours after school had let out, and he hadn’t heard a word. He was almost finished with a particularly difficult math problem when he was interrupted by the long awaited buzzing of his phone, he practically dove for it- prepared to cry if it was anyone but his two friends. 

From Michael: u little shit

From Michael: I mean thank u but also

From Michael: u little shit

To Michael: so everything worked out then?? ;)

From Michael: id fight u but my boyfriend is currently in my lap telling me that if i leave he’ll never let play as player 1 again

To Michael: ;) ;)

To Michael: also i can’t believe that’s what he’s holding over your head

To Michael: whipped

From Michael: :) 

From Michael:Thank you

To Michael: Don’t text me go make out with ur bf or smth

From Michael: does this mean i have to help u get together with jake

From Michael: cuz i have plans

To Michael: shut up and go be cute with ur bf

From Michael: ;p

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have a beta reader and I'm bad at catching mistakes, so let me know if something is wrong.


End file.
